Its a walk, all the way to the park

BANGALORE: Over the years, because of the popularity of Bannerghatta National Park, a major tourist attraction, the road that was once known as Anekal Road is now called Bannerghatta Road.But as of 2011, it’s not just the traffic that goes to the national park that the road embraces. After the IT boom, Bannerghatta Road saw a host of IT companies making the area their home.Today it houses some of Bangalore’s biggest and most prominent commercial complexes too. School, colleges and hospitals also speckle the area. Now the road boasts of an equal number of vehicles as that of commercial buildings.The main problem in Bannerghatta Road from Adugodi to Jigani village is the hellish traffic.The main junctions and traffic hotspots on this road are at Dairy Circle, BTM (check post), NS Palya, Bilekahalli, Arekere Gate, Vijaya Bank Layout, Gottegere, Bannerghatta circle, Koppa gate, Jigani (Industrial area).“As per the Bangalore roads, only 13 lakh vehicles can move freely. But now it has exceeded to 20 lakhs,” says a traffic police on Bannerghatta Road. “The traffic is very slow moving, especially from 8 am to 11 am. Evenings between 6 pm and 10 pm are also bad,” adds another traffic policeman standing on the Road near Hulimavu.One of the reasons attributed to congestion on Bannerghatta Road are the buses. Private buses stand at bus stops for a long time because they need passengers.“Buses stop at each bus stop for more than 10-15 minutes.This causes the vehicles behind the buses to queue up,” says Naveen, a frequent commuter on this road. But the bus drivers say they have their needs to look after.It’s not just vehicles that face a gridlock. Pedestrians too have their share of worries.Priya, a resident says, “We need more traffic signals and timers on the main roads, because it’s very difficult for pedestrians to cross the road especially old people and children.” Says Saraswati, a pedestrian, “When there is heavy traffic, the two wheelers tend to go on footpaths. I find it very difficult to walk in such circumstances.” Another problem for the burgeoning traffic she points out is that people park their vehicles on the roads, leading to more congestion on the main road.A traffic policeman posted in Hulimavu says, “When the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike commissioner, Siddhaiah visited these places personally, he promised that he would look into the matter.” Some people like Rangaswamy, a shopkeeper on Banerghatta Road believe that a flyover is a solution to the traffic problem. He says, ‘“As we have learnt to live with the traffic there is no one to listen to our woes.There are crossroads which join main road, and they are not sufficient to handle this heavy traffic. The only solution here is a flyover.’’ But the promises of road widening can come as a relief to the people using Bannerghatta Road. Says a Sub Inspector from Mico Layout on condition of anonymity, “The process of road widening will be started as soon as possible. The plan has already been approved by BBMP and the public need not worry about trees being chopped, because it is a rule that if road widening process takes place, trees should be cut only on one side. And building will be removed only if necessary.’’ But what do the people think about this? Babu, a shopkeeper on Bannerghatta Road, when asked about the widening says, ‘’I had invested `10 lakh in my shop, but now if they widen the road, I don’t know what will happen.’’